A Cheese Primer - Holy Swiss

Most Swiss cheeese you get at the supermarket isn't swiss at all...it's made domestically right here in the good ole' US of A.    It's mostly not so good either.  Kind of rubbery, with very little taste.  If you want an eye (and mouth) opening experience, go to your cheesemonger and ask for Emmentaler.  This is real swiss cheese.  It's nutty and complex and is a beautiful melting cheese - hence its use in "swiss" fondue.The holes that make swiss cheese (even those made in America) distinctive come from bacteria (a living thing like yeast) that release gas bubbles during aging.  So...you can tell if a swiss cheese will taste milder or stronger depending on how big the holes are...you'll even see supermarket (and deli) labels saying "baby swiss" with very small holes in the cheese.  I prefer aged swiss with the really big holes.  It's much stronger and nuttier (like me!).  Which do you like - the delicate young swiss or the assertive older swiss?  Let me know at http://www.lulasforlunch.com or www.lulasforlunch.com/blog !